IceCaps Vs. Phantoms: a feel-good story for St.John's

The St. John's IceCaps wrote their own feel-good story Friday night, as they opened the season at home against the Adirondack Phantoms and stole the win with a third period goal.

The game-winner was scored by defenceman Travis Ramsey at the 9:11 mark of the third, as he tapped in a perfect cross-crease feed from Jason King. The work was in the assist, as King had carried the puck in the zone, beating a defender before finding Ramsay, who pinched to the net from the blue line.

Although Head Coach Keith McCambridge said he doesn't look to Ramsay to score, it was definitely welcome.

After splitting their games on the road, goalie Eddie Pasquale said it was “big” to win the home-opener. After being named first star for his 32-save night, he credited his team.

“The team played really well in front of me,” Pasquale said. “Guys were blocking a lot of shots.”

He said he can hear the fans cheering “Eddie, Eddie,” and he credited the fans for being loud.

McCambridge also thought the fans brought a positive energy into the building, for the home side.

“The electricity in this building, you could feel it again with the home-opener,” he said. “The crowd was excited... You want to make sure you're putting in a strong performance and competitive team in front of your home crowd.”

Goalie Eddie Pasquale was a rock in net, showing composure and shutting the door in several tense moments. Roughly half-way through the second, Pasquale made his most memorable stops back-to-back, dropping to make a pad save and then making another, a split-second after, to keep the game tied at one. He was selected first star of the game.

The first period was a dominant one for the IceCaps, as they held the majority of possession and successfully hemmed the Phantoms in their zone, seemingly at will. The momentum shifted in favour of the away team through most of the second, partially due to IceCaps penalty trouble.

McCambridge added, “I thought our compete level and attention to detail was there in the first period.

In the second period, the momentum got away from us and we got into some penalty trouble.”

The Phantoms continued to pour on pressure in the third, though the IceCaps were able to hold off the late-game surge from the visitors.

Though McCambridge says he has two goalies pushing each other, he spoke highly of Pasquale.“I look at him as money in the bank. He has played well for us down the stretch and in the playoffs (last year).”

With the lockout ongoing, McCambridge said there is more attention on the AHL, in general, and more attention on the IceCaps from the Winnipeg Jets organization. At the end of the day, the coach expects that to give his players “an extra jump in their step.”

The first goal of the game came courtesy of a Macenaur tip, off of a Zach Redmond rocket from the point, at 11:31 in the first.

The Phantoms knotted the game at the 12:25 mark of the second, as Johnston tipped an Eric Wellwood shot.

Neither team found the back of the net on the powerplay, as both went 0-for-5.

Scott Munroe stopped 25 shots, in a losing effort.

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